Tamping machine



A. WICKSTROM.

TAMPING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JAN-3,1921.

1,408,668. A Patented Mar. 7, 1922.

1 1a j Z I); I If ALFRED W/CKST/FUM @Hozucg UNITE!) STATES PATENT OFFICZE.

ALFRED WICKSTROM, 0F MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA, ASSIG-NOR OF ONE-FOURTH TO FREDERICK BAIN AN D ONE-FOURTH TO JAMES E. BAIN.

TAMPING mnorrmn Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. '7, 1922.

To all 20 7mm it may concern.

Be it known that I, ALFRED VVIoKs'rnoM, a citizen of the United States, residing at Minneapolis, in the county of Hennepin and State of Minnesota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Tamping Machines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to tamping machines, and the object is to provide an efficient, practical, simple and easily operated machine for tamping cement blocks, brick, tile and all other similar plastic substances which are molded into various form and shapes. Other objects will appear in the course of the following specification, and in the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the machine, with the lower part of the legs thereof broken away.

Fig. 2 is a top view of the machine as seen in Fig. 1, with portions broken away.

Fig. 3 is a fractional detail view as seen on the line 3-3 in Fig. 1.

Referring to the drawing by reference numerals, 4: designates a bench or table supported on suitable legs 5. In the front end of the table are secured molding members 6 and 7 in which are formed the blocks 8, or other bricks or tiles which are to be tamped.

. It is of course understood that these molding members 6 and 7 are removable so that others, of various sizes and shapes may be substituted. These members are also made separable so that when the blocks become hard enough they may be readily released. A convenient mechanism for thus operating the molds 6 and 7 is illustrated in a patent application filed by me on July 24th, 1920, the same having Serial Number 398,802.

The block 8 is tamped by a tamping plate 9 which is shaped according to the upper face of the block. Said plate 9 is secured by rigid brackets 10 to the end of a tamping frame 11. The frame 11 is secured in two brackets 12 which are tiltably mounted on a shaft 13 secured to the table a by bearings 14. On the rear end of the tamping frame bars 11 are two weights 15. These weights substantially counterbalance the front end of the frame 11 and are adjustably secured with set screws 16 so that they may be adjusted for various weights of tamping plates. It is often found desirable to secure the weights slightly rearward of the exact coun terbalancing point so that the tamping plate will be normally held up out of the way unt1l it is to be used. Two stationary hooks 21 are so positioned as to catch the frame 11 so that it will not swing back too far.

It may be noticed that the plate 9 is placed at an angle to the tamping frame 11, the object being to cause the tamping face of the plate to be horizontal when meeting the block 8 to be tamped. F or this reason it is also found an advantage to have the frame 11 swing on a center which is substantially level with the top of the block, it being obvious that a more perfect tamping contact will then result.

An adjustable positioning member 17, having the same shape as the forward edge of the block 8, is positioned over the molding member 7 and is secured at its ends to two parallel slides 18 which are dropped in between inner guides 19 and outer guides 20, where they are longitudinally slidable to the extent indicated by the dotted lines in Fig. 2. The object of the member 17 is to keep the plastic material of the block under the tamper, and the sliding construction described allows modified forms of guides to be quickly and easily inserted when other forms of blocks or bricks are to be made.

In the operation of the machine the proper molding forms are first inserted and filled with plastic material. The positioning member 17 is then pulled forward into place and the tamper 9 is forced down, by the operator, onto the block, which opera tion of the tamper is repeated until the block is fully and properly tamped.

It has been found that the weights 15 not only help to lift the tamper up after each downward action of the latter, but also assist in the tamping by reason of their momentum when the contact is made.

It is understood that many suitable modi fications may be made in the form and construction of this machine if such modifications come within the scope and spirit of the appended claims.

Having now therefore fully shown and described my invention, what I claim to be new and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

l. A machine of the class described, consisting of a table, molding forms positioned in the front part of the table, an adjustable positioning member slidably positioned on the upper edge of one of said molding forms when 1n 'use, a tamping frame tiltably mounted on the rear end oic' the table, A; temp.

ing plate secured to the front end of the frame, and counterbulanoing weights se cured 0n the rear end of the frame. 7

2. A temping machine consisting of a pair of suitably supported molding forms, an adjustable positioning member slidably positioned over said forms and adapted to rest with its forward end on the upper edge oi the forward mold, a tiltably mounted tamping frame having a tamping plate adapted to couct with said forms and positioning 15 'sisting of a table molding forms in the front 20 end thereof, an adjustable positioning memloer slidztbly positioned on the top edge of the forms andade-pted to he guided in slides on the table, and tamping means secured to the table and cooperatively engageuble with said 25 molding forms. p

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

ALFRED WICKSTROM. 

